On 23 September 2019 prof. Stanislav Kmeť, the Rector of the Technical University of Košice, opened the new academic year and declared it the “Year of Milan Rastislav Štefánik” at TUKE. The university commemorates the Slovak great on the occasion of important anniversaries: the 100th anniversary of his death and 140th anniversary of his birth. The beginnings of technical higher education in Košice are tied to the name of this Slovak diplomat. They date back to 1937, when by the Act No. 170 of the Czechoslovak Republic a State Technical University of Milan Rastislav Štefánik in Košice was established. It was supposed to open its doors to students in the school year 1938/39, but the pre-war events after the Vienna Arbitration forced its relocation - firstly to Prešov, then to Martin, and finally to Bratislava, and therefore laid the foundation of present Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava.

Besides the representatives of the university, the ceremony was attended by a large number of first-year students, to whom the Rector addressed a significant part of his speech:

“I want to thank our new students, in particular, for choosing our university as a place of their further studies. I congratulate you on this decision and I assure you that it was the right and sensible decision for your future. You start your studies at a university which is one of the leading research and education institutions in Slovakia. You have been able to choose from a wide range of nearly 60 Bachelor´s degree programmes on one of our nine faculties. Thanks to the success of the projects, the university offers you very good material conditions for your study, modern information and communication technologies, and modern instrument and technical infrastructure.

The university puts great emphasis on improving the quality of all its activities, especially in research and education. The Technical University of Košice is rated as one of the best universities in Slovakia by the world rating agencies. Try to earn your diploma, which has its worth not only at home but also abroad, by honest and conscientious fulfilment of your study duties. Our university teachers and workers are ready to help you achieve this goal through their skills and knowledge. It is only up to you to take advantage of this chance and use it to your benefit. I wish you every success in your studies and many unforgettable moments during your university life.”